Philippians - Reading Slower and Deeper - Day 8 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. * Paul genuinely cared about the Philippians. How they were doing affected his level of encouragement. Is that how we are? Do we care about our brothers and sisters enough to have our moods changes based on how they are doing? Honestly, there are definitely times when how some brothers and sisters are doing greatly affects my mood but there are other times when what happens to some bothers and sisters doesnt affect my mood. I need much growth in this area. * This reminds me of: So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26 HCSB) * In the body of Christ, every single member matters and matters just as much as any other member. This reminds me of: Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:8-9 HCSB) * Back to Philippians. For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. (Philippians 2:19-24 HCSB) * As we live the lives of Christians, we are often (if not always) waiting to see how things go with us. But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus — my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need — since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another. For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me. (Philippians 2:25-30 HCSB) * What shines so brightly in this text is how much they all loved each other. Paul loved the Philippians so much that he was anxious about how they were distressed. Loving others means we will be affected emotionally by how they are doing. That is normal and healthy! The world says thats strange. God says thats love. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a protection for you. (Philippians 3:1 HCSB) * This is so important and so challenging for me. It is hard for me to rejoice in The Lord when I am going through hard things. Paul says to rejoice in The Lord because it is a protection for us! Watch out for “dogs,” watch out for evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh — although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ — the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. (Philippians 3:2-11 HCSB)
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 12:11:38 +0000
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